Ecomaps for Families

Individuals seeking health care and their families interact with other people and social institutions in the environment. These interactions can potentially affect the health of families, decisions about whether and from whom to seek health care, and adherence to treatment recommendations. Therefore, it is important that health care providers understand the social interactions that their patients have with other individuals and institutions in the social environment. The ecomap is a paper-and-pencil tool that is used to assess the quantity and quality of social relationships. The ecomap condenses complex data to form a picture of patients in their social context. This entry discusses the development and purposes of ecomaps and explains how to construct an ecomap. A case example is provided to illustrate the ecomap and ...